NCRI

Iran News: ‘No to Executions’ Campaign Reaches 39 Weeks with Participation from 23 Prisons 

Amir Taghati

On October 22, the “No to Executions Tuesdays” campaign marked its 39th week, with prisoners from 23 facilities across Iran, including Ahvaz’s Sheiban Prison, joining in defiance of the Iranian regime’s escalating use of executions. This growing movement, which began in February, continues to draw attention to the regime’s oppressive tactics and widespread use of capital punishment to suppress dissent. 

In a statement released this week, political prisoners from Sheiban Prison announced their participation, underscoring the regime’s recent surge in executions. “We are witnessing a rapid increase in executions, with over 140 hangings in just the past month of Mehr,” they declared. They further highlighted that four Arab political prisoners had been moved to solitary confinement in Sheiban, facing imminent execution. “Their lives are in danger,” the statement warned. 

The prisoners’ statement, which represents voices from across Iran’s prisons, condemned these “systematic executions” and called on all “political, civil, trade, and human rights organizations, as well as all conscious minds inside and outside Iran,” to join forces against this oppression. It emphasized, “Standing against the issuance and execution of death sentences must be a part of our social demand, achievable only through resistance, solidarity, and collective will.” 

Despite the brutal conditions, the statement affirmed, “We can stop this killing machine and uproot such inhumane practices in our homeland.” 

The Ahvaz prisoners’ solidarity adds to a list of 22 other facilities already involved, including the notorious Evin Prison, Gohardasht, and Urmia. Each Tuesday, prisoners go on hunger strikes, signaling their resistance against the death penalty. This act of defiance reflects a collective determination, where they declared: “Our struggle continues, and our resistance is our greatest weapon.” 

On October 21, 2024, the Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) issued a statement detailing a sharp rise in executions by the Iranian regime. In the Iranian month of Mehr (September 22 to October 21), 147 confirmed executions took place, a record high surpassing even the grim numbers seen during the presidency of Ebrahim Raisi, who is infamous for his role in the 1988 mass executions. The actual number of executions is likely higher, with more updates expected in future reports.  

Since July, coinciding with Pezeshkian’s time in office, at least 342 people have been executed, including 13 women. On Monday, October 21, 2024, two prisoners, Mohammad Farhadzadeh and Hamid Chatrsimaab, were executed in Jiroft Prison. A day earlier, on Sunday, October 20, five more prisoners were hanged, including Mohammad Saberi in Malayer and another in Tabriz. On October 19, three prisoners were executed, followed by 18 on October 16, 12 on October 13, and eight more on October 17, including Mohammad Reza Mahjour, who was hanged in Isfahan Prison. The regime’s increasing reliance on capital punishment signals its growing fear of uprisings and potential overthrow. 

The campaign has maintained its momentum even as executions climb, sending a powerful message of unity and resilience against state-sanctioned violence. As the prisoners have expressed, “Despite the regime’s utmost brutality, our demand for justice remains unwavering.” 

With international attention growing, the campaign’s call to halt the death penalty has garnered support beyond Iran’s borders, reflecting the courageous stance of those who, despite facing the ultimate threat, remain steadfast in their pursuit of freedom and justice. 

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